


So You Say You Live Alone

by thatonedudewiththename (orphan_account)



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU, Gen, Parentlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:41:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2382050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/thatonedudewiththename
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>2. What if Sherlock had a child with a woman in his drug days, one he had to get clean for and raise it, and he has it when he becomes flatmates with John?</p>
            </blockquote>





	So You Say You Live Alone

**Author's Note:**

> For the AU What If? exchange on Tumblr, and for forthelifeofoneburglar. Enjoy!

This wasn't... _exactly_ what John had been expecting when he'd met Sherlock at St. Bart's; stacks of folders everywhere, human bones (of all things) littered everywhere. "Mhm, yes, this could be very nice, once we get this junk cleared out."  
"As you can see, I've already moved in- oh." Sherlock said as John did. Immediately he began fumbling about, cleaning up and trying to apologise in his own way for the mess. John suppressed a smile at the taller man's awkwardness and took the time to wander about, heading into the kitchen and down the hallway beside it. The first door on the left was the bathroom. It was open, so he peeked inside to find two sets of toothbrushes by the sink: one large, the other small with skulls on it. He frowned and stepped back, only to bump into something. "Sorry-" he began as he turned around.  
"It's fine. Papa does the same thing." A young voice replied.  
John felt like he got smacked in the face when he looked down to find a young child with wild blond hair and grey eyes, a splattering of freckles across his dark nose. He couldn't have been more than ten. "Uhh... Hello." John tried to say.  
"Hello. You must be Papa's new flatmate. I'm William." Will held out his hand to shake, which John did, still short of in shock.  
However, he got over it quickly when he realised- "Wait, did you say 'Papa'?"  
"I think it's rather obvious that I'm his son, don't you think?"  
"John?" Came Sherlock's voice from the sitting room, which was followed by the quick, precise sound of his footsteps. Soon, he was looming behind John, looking over his shoulder to William. "Ah, yes, I see you've met my child, William."  
John whipped around to face Sherlock with disapproval written in the lines of his face. "You didn't tell me you had a kid. Don't you think that's kind of important information for a potential flatmate to know?"  
"I assumed you would be fine with children, considering your profession."  
"I'm not a pediatrist; my patients are _adults."_  
"Oh," Sherlock frowned, looking down at William, who was still standing calmly by the bathroom door. "I hope this doesn't hinder your decision to stay here." He lifted his eyes to John. His voice had an air of hopefulness.  
As much as John wanted to be angry enough to say it did and walk right out, he couldn't find enough fight in him to do so. It was, after all, just a child; it just meant he had to be more careful when he walked around the flat. "No, I don't say it does." He sighed finally.  
Sherlock's lip quirked upward briefly. From the living room came a knock, then the door opened. Sherlock dashed off to speak with whoever was there, John and William following. Although they only caught the tail end of what the silver-haired man at the door said, Sherlock filled in the rest for them. "There's been another murder."  
"Yeah, so?" John said.  
"I've got to go." He stooped to kiss William on the top of the head before striding to the door, forgetting to take his scarf off the coat hanger. "Don't wait up!"  
John fell into the chair behind him and sighed once more, rubbing a hand over his face. Something tugged on the right sleeve of his sweater. He looked to where William stood by his chair, staring at him curiously. "Yes?" John asked.  
"Are you going to stay here?" The child questioned.  
"It seems that way, yeah."  
William brightened considerably. "Good. It's hard looking after Papa all by myself."  
John actually laughed at that. "With the way he is, I can only imagine."  
"You were an Army doctor," A deep voice said from the doorway.  
John turned to where Sherlock was and nodded. "Mhm."  
"Any good?"  
John stood up. "The best."  
"Seen a lot of action."  
"Too much. Enough for a lifetime."  
"Want to see some more?"  
"God yes."  
Sherlock grabbed his scarf and left downstairs, John about to go after him when William tugged on his sweater again. "Make sure he's okay?" He said quietly.  
John mused the kid's hair with a small smile. "Of course."

 

And he did, with a bullet to the taxi driver's chest.


End file.
